Developer

Copter-3.3 beta testing

Warning #1: an issue has been found with Tower's Pause button which can cause the vehicle to fly to an old position if the vehicle has not sent a position update to Tower in some time.

Warning #2: Copter-3.3.2 fixes a bug found in Copter-3.3.1's desired climb rate initialisation which could lead to a sudden momentary drop when switching from Stabilize or Acro to AltHold, Loiter or PosHold.

Warning #3: Copter-3.3.2 fixes an issue found in Copter-3.3.1 which could lead to hard landings in RTL or AUTO if the WPNAV_SPEED_DN was set too high (i.e. >400 or 4m/s) and/or the WPNAV_ACCEL_Z was set too low (i.e. <100 or 1m/s/s).

Warning #4: a bug was found in Copter-3.3 which could cause a sudden crash if you abort a Take-off initiated from a ground station.  Video description is here.  The bug is fixed in Copter-3.3.1 so we recommend upgrading.

Note #1: AC3.3-rc8 corrected a long standing bug in the HDOP reporting.  HDOP values will appear about 40% lower than previously but this does not actually mean the GPS position is better than before.
Note #2: if upgrading from AC3.2.1 the vehicle's accelerometer calibration needs to be done again.
Note #3: set SERIAL2_PROTOCOL to "3" and reboot the board to enable FrSky telemetry like in previous versions.
Note #4: the wiki will be updated over the next few weeks to explain how to use the new features

Copter-3.3.1 is available through the mission planner.  The full list of changes vs AC3.2.1 can be see in the ReleaseNotes and below are the most recent changes since AC3.3.

Sadly this version (and all future versions) will not run on the APM2.x boards due to CPU speed, flash and RAM restrictions.

Changes from 3.3:

1) Bug fix to prevent potential crash if Follow-Me is used after an aborted takeoff

2) compiler upgraded to 4.9.3 (runs slightly faster than 4.7.2 which was used previously)

Changes from 3.3-rc11:

1) EKF recovers from pre-arm "Compass variance" failure if compasses are consistent

Changes from 3.3-rc10:

1) PreArm "Need 3D Fix" message replaced with detailed reason from EKF

Changes from 3.3-rc9
1) EKF improvements:
    a) simpler optical flow takeoff check
2) Bug Fixes/Minor enhancements:
    a) fix INS3_USE parameter eeprom location
    b) fix SToRM32 serial protocol driver to work with recent versions
    c) increase motor pwm->thrust conversion (aka MOT_THST_EXPO) to 0.65 (was 0.50)
    d) Firmware version sent to GCS in AUTOPILOT_VERSION message
3) Safety:
    a) pre-arm check of compass variance if arming in Loiter, PosHold, Guided
    b) always check GPS before arming in Loiter (previously could be disabled if ARMING_CHECK=0)
    c) sanity check locations received from GCS for follow-me, do-set-home, do-set-ROI
    d) fix optical flow failsafe (was not always triggering LAND when optical flow failed)
    e) failsafe RTL vs LAND decision based on hardcoded 5m from home check (previously used WPNAV_RADIUS parameter)

Thanks for your testing!

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Manu B on December 19, 2015 at 1:36pm

Supposing that you know what you do when desactivating checks: you need to disactivate GeoFence to get rid of the GPS checks.


MR60Permalink Reply by Hugues on December 19, 2015 at 1:56pm

All pre arm check boxes are unticked in the mission planner screen planned for configuring the arming checks. Still no joy. Could it be a mission planner issue?


MR60Permalink Reply by Hugues on December 19, 2015 at 2:09pm

OK, after reading the same discussion on Google discuss, it seems illogical to not show then the geofence check box with the arming checks check boxes; and then when the user se!ects disable pre arm checks, it should uncheck also the geofence check and show it visually.

The current way it is managed in 3.3.2 is an undocumented behaviour change versus previous 3.2.x and causes confusion. My proposal is above: be transparent and inform the user with explicit messages in mission planner.

Permalink Reply by Randy Bachtell on December 19, 2015 at 2:44pm
Such demands for highly functional firmware that you paid nothing for. My proposal is this; show the developers a little more respect. All of the developers are open to suggestions but the hair goes up when demands are made by novice users. Be kind and enjoy the platform we have been given.
Permalink Reply by Reuben on December 19, 2015 at 5:38pm

Bravo !


MR60Permalink Reply by Hugues on December 20, 2015 at 1:36am

!? Where do you read disrespect toward developers? Read twice and have some respect yourself for non native English speakers who might not be able to express themselves with your demanding stylistic language nuances. Can you do the same in french ? Go ahead.

Permalink Reply by Manu B on December 20, 2015 at 2:02am
Keep calm... and please excuse my english too :)
Of course if we post here and use 3dr platform it is because we enjoy it and try to make it even better. I pulled an issue on github for this exact same change, which is not a problem for novice user. Maybe Hugues is in the same situation: flying big and expensive copter for professionnal use. When 3.3 was released, the question: should we use it now or not? I gave it a try only with 3.3.2 and after some tests I am now flying it.
My point is that developpers do a great job, but some of the first 3.3.1 bugs (baro modes...) and changed behaviour on arming check parameters made me not confident for days to weeks. (No disrespect for anyone).
And dont get me wrong, I compile my modified versions for more than 2 years now. Please just keep documentation up do date when deep modification on the code logic is done, "prearm checks" on the wiki for instance.
Permalink Reply by Randy Bachtell on December 20, 2015 at 5:50am
Please accept my sincere apology. Your English is good enough that I did not recognize or think that you are not a native speaker. One of the things I have enjoyed the most on this forum is the friendly and helpful people from all around the world. I will try to follow my own words and be kind and more understanding before I post.

Cheers,
Randy Bachtell

MR60Permalink Reply by Hugues on December 20, 2015 at 7:25am

Thx happy now :)


MR60Permalink Reply by Hugues on December 20, 2015 at 7:28am

This is well said. And I respect totally, I should say even admire the dev of this community.

Permalink Reply by Cala on December 20, 2015 at 7:35am

+1 devs and Hugues too, he's a professional but helps lot of people here for free :D ; I'm a disaster english speakers club too ;)

Permalink Reply by Randy Bachtell on December 20, 2015 at 8:47am
@Cala, Manu B, and Hugues,
It's not about how we converse in another language but how we take the time to understand other cultures and perspectives. Something I did not do and something I am not proud of. I am not a young man, old age is near but wisdom somehow stays far away. I have received much help from this community and contributed very little, as I learn more perhaps I can also contribute.

Thanks to all

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